this post was submitted on 13 Dec 2023
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How long do you have filament sitting "in the open"? I mostly print with a single filament roll at a time, and just leave it on the printer. A 1kg roll lasts me several weeks. For long time storage I keep it in an air tight box with disiccant pouches.

But how long can I let it sit before I should start storing it with disiccant and/or drying the filament before use?

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[–] squaresinger@feddit.de 0 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Depends on the relative humidity in your house and the type of filament you use. I have usually ~30% humidity in my flat.

  • PLA reall doesn't care about humidity. I've got some 5yo rolls that still print like new, without storing them air-tight.
  • PETG is fussier. After a few days they start to act up. I always have them in the filament dryer while printing.
  • Specialist filaments (e.g. Nylon, Carbon, Wood) might be much more hydroscopic, depending on the material.
[–] DreadPotato@sopuli.xyz 0 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Inside it's around 50%, fluctuates a bit depending on season.

[–] squaresinger@feddit.de 0 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

That's a bit high. PLA still won't care, but PETG will probably only print perfectly for a quite short time (maybe a day or two).

That said, depending on what exact blend it is, Silk PLA or other PLAs with additives might also have an issue with humidity.

[–] Wutchilli@feddit.de 0 points 10 months ago

So i live in Germany, and i just put a bag with silica over the active roll and call it a day. But it depends very much on the material you print with, i print PLA and that dosn't pull much moisture out of the air.